Muscle injuries: hot or cold?
My muscle hurts, should I use hot or cold?
It is not always easy to know whether to put heat or cold on a muscle to get relief. Here are the 7 main traumas that can affect the muscle and some treatment tips:
The cramp
Of sudden and violent onset, the cramp appears and disappears suddenly.
Cramp is the involuntary and powerful contraction of a muscle. It can occur at rest or during exercise.
Favourable factors are:
- A lack of hydration
- The cold
- Fatigue
- Lack of warm-up
- Too much muscular work
Treatment of cramp
- Drink water +++.
- Passive stretching
Stiffness
It is very common and affects all people who make a greater than usual muscular effort. The intensity varies but the soreness can be very painful. It disappears after a few days but can last up to 7 days.
Treatment of aches and pains
- Rest from physical activity but not strict rest. It is necessary to solicit the muscle a little in order to help the drainage of toxins.
- Drinking water
- Massage
- Hot
The contracture
The contracture is due to a too important contraction of the muscle. This protective mechanism occurs during a too violent stretching.
Treatment of the contracture
- Hot
- Massage
- Kinesio taping strips
The contusion
The contusion follows a direct muscle impact that does not cause a tear. There may be an associated hematoma.
Treatment of the contusion
- Icing the area
- Elevate the limb to optimize drainage
- Placement of Kinesiotaping strips
Tear or muscle strain
The tear (or breakdown) can affect the muscle but also the tendon. It can break some or all of the muscle or tendon fibers, so a tear can be total or partial . This trauma occurs when the structure, in this case the muscle or tendon, has been stretched beyond its physiological limit. The tear causes intense, very localized pain.
Treatment of the tear or strain
- Rest
- Cold +++.
- Placement of kinesio taping and strapp to compress the injured area
- Massage by physiotherapist
NB: Do not let a tear linger, take care of it properly. Otherwise, the ligament or muscle reconstruction may not be optimal, generate adhesions and consequently sequels.
Elongation
Stretching is the combination of a large contraction with micro muscle damage.
Treatment of elongation
- Cold +++.
- Placement of kinesio taping and strapp to generate a compression of the torn area
- Elevate the limb to improve drainage
Tendinitis or tendinopathy
A tendinopathy is the inflammation of a tendon, with micro tears of the tendon. It sets in progressively and in order to treat it effectively, a multidisciplinary approach is recommended.
Treatment of tendonitis
- Cold
- Green clay poultice
- Osteopathy
- Placement of kinesio taping strips
- Massage by physiotherapist
- Essential oils
Marie Messager
Osteopath for sports
in Versailles Chantiers
Yvelines - 78
